


Feral

by Akiko_Natsuko



Series: BixFreed [7]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Angst, Apologies, Broken Promises, Demons, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Loss of Control, M/M, Promises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-08-20 18:44:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16561235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: Freed's control of his demonic side has been getting worse, to the point where Bickslow forced him to promise not to use it. A promise he's kept, until he's left with no other option.





	Feral

    Freed cried out in pain as he was slammed into the ground yet again, barely managing to roll aside in time to avoid the boot that nearly crushed his sword hand. It took more effort than he cared to admit to roll to his feet once more, and he hissed in pain as he pulled the latest wound, glancing briefly at his shoulder and biting his lip as he took in the blood soaking into the material of his coat. He cursed himself for letting Bickslow go off to help Evergreen, although at the time he had been holding his own…just… and they hadn’t seen their teammate for a while. It was the correct strategy, at the time, he thought as he straightened, fingers tightening around his sword hilt as he realised that he was trembling slightly. _Bickslow I think I could use some help now…_

   He hated admitting that much even to himself. He was the Captain, he was supposed to be able to handle someone like this on his own, but the other man had found a way to neutralise his runes, rendering the traps he had prepared in advance completely useless, and his other attacks were having a limited. His eyes narrowed as he contemplated his limited options, well aware that if he took any more attacks like that last one, then he was going to be lucky to get out of this fight at all. Not an outcome he was willing to allow, besides he had promised Bickslow that he would be fine. He worried at his lip, moving to match his opponent who was trying to circle closer, looking for the slightest opening in his defences and Freed could feel the magic gathering around him _. I have to end this…_

   There was one way. But he had promised Bickslow that he wouldn’t use it unless it was absolutely necessary to protect his teammates, and he growled, there was no way he could claim that the situation was that bad. He still had other options, right? He could hold on a little longer, he could wait for Bickslow to come.

    Pain erupted in his already injured shoulder as he found himself being flung backwards, his sword tumbling from his hand as he gripped at his shoulder, his vision going in and out of focus for a moment and when the world finally steadied he found the other mage standing over him and his own sword pointing towards his chest.

“This is what Fairy Tail is capable of?” The Mage mocked, dragging a soft cry from Freed as he pressed the tip of the sword against his chest hard enough to draw blood. “I’m disappointed. Hopefully, your teammates will put up a better fight.”

   Freed’s mind went completely blank for a moment at that threat, a low growl building in his chest as he saw the confidence in the dark eyes that met his. The promise behind that threat and all thoughts of holding back and keeping his promise to Bickslow disappeared, and his voice was little more than a snarl as he let his magic flare.

“Dark Écriture: Darkness!” He felt it at once, the demonic presence that had become a constant background hum in his thoughts over the last few months, surging to the front and his mouth dropped open in a sharp cry as he felt himself being immediately overwhelmed. Frantically he tried to cancel the spell, but nothing was working, and he could feel himself slipping, his mind become trapped beneath the demon’s thoughts, and a tear trickled down his cheek before he lost control completely.

_Bickslow…stay away…. please._

****

   Bickslow froze as he heard the vicious snarl that rang through that air, sharing a worried look with Evergreen who immediately nodded for him to go and while he was reluctant to leave her alone, he knew that sound could mean nothing good. Biting his lip, he nodded in thanks before bolting back towards where he had left Freed only a few minutes before, cursing himself for leaving his partner alone in the first place when it had been clear that he was already struggling to hold his own. However, he hadn’t been able to deny that he was worried about Ever as well, and he knew how strong Freed was and that he more than one trump card up his sleeve if need be. If that snarl was anything to go by, he had been forced to use one. But that noise…

“Freed!” He shouted as he reached the spot where he had left his partner, eyes widening as he took in the destruction that had been left behind. He swallowed thickly as he spotted the mage Freed had been fighting sprawled amongst the debris, the bloody gashes on his front giving him a good idea of what had happened, and what Freed had done to pull out a victory. _Damn it Freed, you promised that you wouldn’t do it unless it was the only way to save someone else_.

   It was a promise he had extracted from the younger man the last time Freed had used his demonic transformation when the demon had very nearly refused to release its hold on his partner. There had been a time when Freed could use it with ease, coming back to himself without a fight, but in the last year, it had become harder and harder to pull the younger man back to himself. “FREED!”

    He knew that it was probably pointless shouting for Freed if he was in the state that the Seith mage was expecting, but he had to try, hoping that he would hear the soft voice replying. Instead, he was met by silence, and an uneasy feeling crept up his spine as he turned slowly on his heel, eyes intent as they roved over the area, well aware that the demon wouldn’t have gone far. While Freed in the early days of his diminishing control had always tried to get as far away from Bickslow and the others as possible, the demon was the opposite…wanting to tear apart the ties that were helping to keep its host tied to his humanity, and Bickslow knew that he was its biggest target. There had even been the odd night when Freed would wake from a nightmare, the demon close to the surface and snarling at him for being too close, and for waking him. And there would always be fear in the turquoise eyes when Freed regained control, fear of what he could do and worry that one-day Bickslow would turn and walk away.

   As if that will ever happen, Bickslow thought to himself, tensing as he suddenly sensed movement behind him a split second before his dolls shouted out a warning. Somehow he managed to turn just in time for Freed to slam into him with a snarl, making him stagger forward into one of the trees, and he bit his lip to stop himself from crying out in pain, fairly sure he had felt a rib crack from the impact. However, he pushed the pain aside, instead latching onto Freed and pulling the demon against himself, hoping to trap in place long enough to stand a chance of getting through too Freed with words. Apparently Freed had other plans though, or rather the demon did, and Bickslow grunted as Freed bucked against him, throwing his head back to avoid the clawed hand that came a little too close to his eyes for comfort.

“FREED!” He shouted as he braced his legs before flinging them both forward, using his weight to send them both crashing to the ground and hastily pinning the flailing demon against the ground, his heart hammering in his chest as the Rune mage snarled furiously beneath him. He had no idea what had happened to trigger this, but peering down at his captive he immediately realised that something about this transformation was different. There was always a wildness to Freed when he was in this form, but there was also still a spark of humanity to be seen in his gaze, and that was gone, and he had no idea why, or how to fix this. “Freed, please snap out of this!” He pleaded. Only to yelp as Freed managed to roll them, sharp claws raking his chest as he was too slow to block him and as he tried to shake off the pain the demon had sprung back a short distance. Studying him with a snarl and a feral gleam to his eyes and for the first time, the Seith mage felt truly afraid of his partner. “Freed…”

   He knew that there was no way the Demon was going to give him the chance to get his arms around him again, and between the exhaustion from the previous fighting and the pain now radiating from the gashes Freed had just inflicted he doubted that he would be able to defeat his partner. Besides he didn’t want to fight him. Fighting him would mean admitting defeat, would mean facing his fear and the fact that he might have lost Freed completely, and he wasn’t ready for that. However, it seemed as though he wasn’t going to be given a chance to think of another approach because with a snarl Freed had charged once more, no hesitation or conflict in the dark gaze and Bickslow sucked in a breath. There was only one thing he could try, and he had no idea if it would work this time.

“You’re not a monster,” he said softly, hissing with pain as he slowly spread his arms to show that he had no intention of fighting and he closed his eyes as Freed closed in. _Even if you kill me now, I refused to believe that this is you. The man I love isn’t a monster_. “FREED! YOU’RE NOT A MONSTER!”

   The pain he had been bracing himself for never came, and his eyes flew open as the snarl faded away to a quiet whimper and he found that the Demon had frozen barely two feet away, hand outstretched as though still ready to lash out. Only now there was a hesitancy to its movements, and as he watched flecks of turquoise appeared in the dark eyes, and he swallowed nervously before taking a cautious half-step forward, faltering as a warning growl rang out, although there was no move to attack.

“Freed?” Bickslow asked softly, catching the way dark eyes flickered towards him before skittering away, as though the Demon had lost control for a second and that gave him the courage to close the rest of the distance between them, gingerly reaching out and resting his hands on the Demon’s shoulders. A snarl met the gesture, and for a moment the feral light from before reappeared and he tensed, before forcing himself to continue, keeping his voice low and calm. “Freed, I know you’re still in there. I want you to listen to me,” he waited until dark eyes met his once more, relieved to see that there was even more turquoise showing through now. “You’re not a monster, this…” He released one hand so that he could gesture at Freed’s current form, noticing that he was trembling slightly as he did so. “This isn’t you. And we’re going to find a way to fix this. “

   In all honesty, he wasn’t sure that there was a way to fix this, after all, Makarov had begun to look for one after the last few near misses, and so far, nothing useful had been found. But he refused to let that doubt take hold. There had to be a way to fix this, to keep Freed safe and human. _There has to be…_

   A soft noise brought his attention back too Freed, and he blinked as he realised that there were tears on the Demon’s cheeks, and when he lifted his gaze, he found himself staring into familiar turquoise eyes. _Freed_ …His heart ached at the fear and guilt in those painfully human eyes, and he was already moving to wrap his arms around the younger man even as Freed slumped forward.

“I’m sorry…” It was barely even a whisper, Freed burying his face against him, clawed fingers clutching frantically at the front of his clothes even as the rest of his transformation gradually began to melt away, black scales giving way to pale skin and revealing the injuries from his previous battle. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…”

“It’s okay,” Bickslow shushed him softly, he didn’t need apologies. While he wanted to know what had happened to make Freed break his promise, he also knew that there would be a reason and a good one, and the broken apologies were painful to listen to. “You came back, that’s all that matters,” he added softly, kissing Freed’s temple and trying not to imagine how hard that fight must’ve been as he felt the tremors wracking his partner. There was no reply, but he felt the fingers tightening against him for a moment before Freed’s weight grew heavier against him, and he was unsurprised to find that the combined effects of the transformation and his injuries had pulled him under. Blinking back tears that he had steadfastly stopped from falling in front of Freed, the Seith mage pulled his partner closer, burying his face in the other’s hair.

_I will find a way to fix this…_


End file.
